Air Pollution From Smog, Acid Rain, and Greenhouse Effect

Air Quality

Introduction

There are a number of pollution problems facing the world today. It is important to examine the statement "Photochemical smog is a local problem, acid rain is a regional one, and the enhanced greenhouse effect is a global one" in order to understand the damage man has done to the planet. In an effort to correct this damage, the chemistry of each air quality problem and why it affects different geographical areas should be explored.

Photochemical Smog

The term smog originally meant a combination of smoke and fog. Today, the term smog is mainly used to represent photochemical smog, however, it is not actually smoke and fog. Photochemical smog is ...

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plants, paper mills, smelters and petroleum refineries.
The sources of photochemical smog provide evidence that this is local problem since it is found in metropolitan areas where factories, utilities and high numbers of vehicles are present.

Acid Rain

Acid rain is formed when "water vapor and certain elements chemically combine with natural and man-made pollutants-such as sulfur dioxide or nitrogen oxides- in the stratosphere, forming sulfuric and nitric acids (unknown)." Acids have a pH or 6 or less, while acid rain contains precipitation that has a pH which is lower than 5 to 5.6. Acid rain has been recorded as low as pH 2.4 to 2.8 and can "fall as "wet" deposits in the form of rain, fog, or snow, or as "dry" deposits, in the form of gases and particles (unknown)."
Only 10 percent of acid rain is created from natural pollutants released by volcanoes, forest fires, and decaying organic matter. Industries, residential and commercial heating units, as well as ...

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